


My heart will always belong to you

by Manwameldiel



Series: All you need is love [4]
Category: Richlee fandom
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-06
Updated: 2015-08-06
Packaged: 2018-04-13 06:46:02
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,447
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4511940
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Manwameldiel/pseuds/Manwameldiel
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"Who are you?"<br/>"I'm Lee, don't you remember me?"<br/>"I'm so sorry but I can't say I recall ever meeting you before, how am I supposed to know you?" <br/>"We're sort of married". </p><p>A short bonus story to the series.<br/>Richard falls on set on a movie he's working on and forgets everything about Lee, including that they're married, but together they try to make Richard remember even just a little bit.</p>
            </blockquote>





	My heart will always belong to you

Richard found himself on a hospital bed before he opened his eyes. How did he get there? he thought before he remembered a long fall. How long since that had happened he did not know, only that now he lay here all of a sudden.  
Then he felt that someone was holding his hand and he turned to see who that someone was.  
It was a man, even though he was seated, Richard noticed that man was tall. He had big eyebrows and light brown hair and a few days old beard. He was handsome, Richard noticed, from the view of that man's profile who was looking out the window.   
Why was this man was holding Richard's hand he didn't know. He had no idea who that man was. He had never seen him in his life. He tried to loosen the man's grip on his hand by slowly dragging it away.  
That made the other man turn and look at Richard, a smile spread across his face. "Oh, Richard you're awake. I've been so worried..." but he halted once he saw the look on Richard's face. "What's wrong?" The smile that had been upon the other man's face was now gone. "Who are you?" Richard asked the other man "I'm Lee, don't you remember me?" His voice was soft, but sounded hurt. Richard tried as hard as he could to remember anything about this man, Lee, but couldn't. "I'm so sorry but I can't say I recall ever meeting you before". Lee drew his hand back away from Richard's and looked down at the floor "It's alright" he whispered, but Richard saw it wasn't alright, the other man was crying, Richard noticed the tears upon the other man's eyelashes and a few that ran down his cheeks. He obviously was supposed to know Lee from somewhere, the fall that had caused Richard to be there in this hospital had caused him forgetting who Lee was, he had no idea. "How am I supposed to know you?" He asked softly, not wanting to hurt the other man even more. "Well, it's kind of complicated" Lee answered as he looked up from the floor, his eyes still watery. "Tell me, please, I want to know" Richard really did want to know, apparently he was someone important to Lee and so Lee must be someone important to Richard. Lee shook his head "I... I don't want to shock you, it might be a bit to much to take..." "I don't care, tell me please. I need to know how we know each other". Before Lee could answer Richard noticed something on the other man's finger. It was a ring, he had two rings actually. One on the ring finger, that one was silver with a small diamond in the middle and on the middle finger was a gold ring. It made Richard look down on his hand and there he saw a gold ring on his middle finger as well.  
His eyes widened, he knew now how Lee knew him before the other man said it. "We're sort of married". Richard sat still, staring at nothing in particular, taking in the information he had just received.   
He was married. Married to the man who sat there beside him. Who Richard couldn't remember.  
How could Richard not remember the man he was married to. He turned his head towards Lee who looked back at him with concern.   
"How long have we been married?"   
"Only a year and a half"   
"and when did we meet?"   
"Can you remember anything about working on movies called the hobbit?" "Yes" of course Richard remembered. "Well that's where and when we met. Also where we started dating". Richard simply nodded, he remembered being on the set of the hobbit, but he couldn't remember Lee. "I told you it would be a shock" Lee said before he put his hand on Richard's shoulder. "You should rest, you are not fully recovered yet" Lee said as he stood up, Richard turned to him "you will come visit me again, while I'm here?" He asked. "If you want me to, I'll be happy to do that" "I want to remember you or at least get to know you again". Lee bit his lower lip and nodded. "I'll come back tomorrow then" Richard nodded and then Lee walked out.  
Lee had been right, Richard thought, he should rest.  
To much had happened in such a short time. He was married, married to Lee, who he couldn't remember. And Lee had been hurt, of course he had been. But Richard was also hurt. If he loved Lee enough to marry him why did he have to forget him? Richard remembered everyone he had worked with on the hobbit, except Lee. How could his mind do that, to him, to Lee?   
Now he wished Lee wouldn't have left so soon, he wanted to speak more to the other man, wanted to ask him so many questions but that would have to wait.  
Instead he simply closed his eyes, trying as hard as he could to remember something, anything about Lee, his husband. But before that happened, his mind was drifted off to sleep.  
~  
Lee walked outside and stood still for a while, breathing in the fresh air before feeling a sudden pain in his chest, causing tears to start rolling down his cheeks and he ran towards his car and got inside, put on the seat belt and started the car. He didn't care where he was going, he just needed to drive.  
When he was out on the open road he felt he couldn't do it any longer and drove off the road and stopped the car.  
Then the tears began falling for real, they came with heavy sobs. He put his head down on the steering wheel, closed his eyes and he just let them fall, no one was there to see anyway.   
The pain was just to much for him.  
Richard hadn't even noticed who Lee was. He didn't remember anything about him, which meant he didn't remember anything they had experienced together, not their first kiss, not even their wedding and not when they promised to love each other always, that they would never let each other go. He had looked at Lee with not even a flicker of recognition.  
Lee's heart was completely broken. Why had that happened? Because of some stupid fall that happened on a set where Richard had been working.  
Lee allowed the tears to continue to fall, it was best to let out all the pain when he was alone than keep it down and suddenly lose it in front of someone, he especially couldn't lose it in front of Richard. He just couldn't do that to him. Not since the reason for the pain was because Richard didn't remember him.  
Lee knew his husband well enough to know that if it happened Richard would be so hurt and angry at himself that he would stay awake whole nights trying to remember at least something about Lee.  
Lee sat up and dried away the tears, he would have to stay strong, for Richard, his love.   
Richard had asked Lee to visit him, help him remember and Lee would do that. Even though Richard would never remember what they had had before, or that he would never love Lee the same way again he hoped they could at least stay friends.  
As much as the thought of that hurt Lee, it may have to be enough.  
~  
Richard was happy the next morning when he saw Lee standing awkwardly in the doorway to the room. "Hi" he greeted "hey" Lee sat down on the same chair he sat on the day before and Richard just noticed now that the chair was a bit to low for Lee's legs. "Why don't you ask for another chair? This one looks uncomfortable" "it's fine, don't worry". Lee gave Richard a reassuring smile.   
As told before in this text Richard was happy Lee was there. He wanted to talk to him, about them, wanted to ask him about so many things and now he had the chance to do that.   
"I may have a few questions for you, if you don't mind" "shoot" Lee said casually, Richard cleared his throat before he began.  
"I just want to know... it sounds silly, I know but I just want to know how close were we?" "Pretty close" the fact that Richard used the word were seemed to hurt Lee, at least he looked hurt about something and Richard assumed that was it. "I'm so sorry, Lee, that I don't remember you, I really do wish that I could but maybe if you tell me about you and about us I remember". Lee looked up at him with watery eyes "it's not your fault" he half whispered before rubbing his eyes "sorry, I did not plan on coming here to bawl like a baby" he said "it's okay" Richard told him. It really was okay, he understood Lee.  
Well not understood like he had had any personal experience but if it had been the other way around Richard had without doubt cried as well.  
"So, would you tell me something about yourself, it might help me remember" he asked Lee  
"What do you want me to tell you?" The other man answered. "Everything about you, everything you want to tell me" "Okay" Lee readjusted in his seat before he began.  
"My full name is Lee Grinner Pace and I'm born march 25th 1979... uhm I'm an actor and I have a dog whose name is Carl. I uhh was born in Oklahoma but then moved with my family to Saudi Arabia but after living there we moved to Texas. I have two siblings, a sister and a brother and yeah I don't know what else to tell you, really. I'm not a very interesting person" "you must be at least bit interesting since I wanted to marry you" that made Lee chuckle "yeah, guess so". Lee had a lovely smile, Richard noticed.   
Lee was very beautiful, no one could ever think otherwise. He had gorgeous eyes and every time he smiled beautiful wrinkles formed underneath them. And his lips, they looked... incredible. The day before, Richard hadn't thought about any of those things but now he paid attention to every little thing Lee did.  
He had no idea if his lost memories of Lee and him together would ever come back, but he was gonna try. He wanted so much to remember, he would try as hard as he could.   
"What about us? What can you tell me about us?"   
Lee scratched the back of his neck before answering "well, I've already told you that we are married but I guess there are a few other things we've done" he said with a little grin. "Tell me" Richard smiled back.  
"Well, we uhm we own our little house we bought together, it's beside a lake, we got it a few years back. It's not big it's just sort of like a summer house but we kind of live there, now. I don't know really how it happened like we just bought it to have our own place from the rest of the world and we began spending a lot of time there and now we sort of live there. Well, of course you have to be here in the hospital for quite a while but afterwards you know, you... we can go there. But if you don't want to live there anymore then it's okay it's just..." "no, I'd love to go there and live there? probably, yeah. If I wanted that once I can want that again". Lee's smile was bright "okay, great" he nodded "but you don't have to decide that now just wait until you come there and then if you like it like you did then, well then... yeah great" he added. "How much did I like it?" "You loved this place. It was your decision to name it the Castle or the Grand Castle as you also referred to it sometimes". "How big is this house?" Lee let out a sound that sounded like "puff" before answering. "Well, it has the smallest living room in the world, along with a small kitchen, there's a small bedroom there as well and a small bathroom. It's pretty much a very small house along with an even smaller porch" Lee said with a smile and a little chuckle. Richard chuckled as well. "And I thought up the name the Grand Castle? That sounds like me" Richard thought out loud "it does sound like you" Lee said softly, looking down at the floor. "Hey" Richard said, getting Lee's attention "tell me more about us".   
And so Lee told Richard about stuff they had done together, though Richard couldn't remember any of it he liked hearing about it.   
Soon they realized they had been talking for hours. "I better get going" Lee said as he stood up "okay. But when can I expect seeing you again?" Richard had enjoyed Lee's company that day and hoped to see as much of the other man as he could while he was still in the hospital. "I'll come back tomorrow, if you want" Lee smiled, "but don't you have work?" "I don't really want any work right now". Richard nodded, he kind of understood that. "Well, then I'll see you tomorrow" he said with a smile. "Yeah, tomorrow" Lee repeated with a smile before he turned around and headed through the door.   
~  
When Lee was in the car, driving home, a few tears fell down his cheeks. He quickly rubbed them away. He didn't even know why he was crying. He had been with Richard almost the whole day, talking to him, the other man was even happy to see him.  
It wasn't the same, though. Richard wasn't the same, not the same Lee had gotten used to at least. He didn't know what it was. But Richard talked differently to him, only a few times had he said something to Lee that made him feel like Richard remembered him, but he didn't. He probably never was gonna. Perhaps they could start new memories, but Lee did not want that. He wanted Richard to remember, all the crazy things they did together, everything they had said to one another.  
Lee didn't wanna think that, though. He felt selfish for wanting Richard to remember him, but he couldn't stop these thoughts, as much as he tried.  
When Lee parked his car in front of his and Richard's house, he was greeted by another car. No one was in there. Lee assumed that whoever owned his car was probably in his house right now, had he forgot to lock the door this morning? Lee couldn't remember.  
When he opened the door, which had turned out to be locked, he was greeted by his dog Carl, who jumped happily up to him and licked his face like he usually did when Lee came home. "Hi" a voice from the living room greeted him as well. Carl jumped down and Lee looked up to see someone he hadn't seen for a time. "Evangeline!" he exclaimed happily "it's so good to see you" he said when she had dragged him down for a hug. "Wait, how did you get in here?" He asked her once the embrace ended. "Well, the front door was closed so I walked around the house to find the door that leads to the porch open. And I took Carl out for a good walk so, you don't have to do that" "thanks" Lee said as he thought that he should remember to always close and lock both doors whenever he left.   
"How's Richard?" She asked, Lee had told her when Richard had had the accident. "He's awake" he answered, "that's great" she smiled up at him. "Yeah" a sad smile was on Lee's lips. "What's wrong?" Evangeline asked and Lee's eyes started to water again. "Lee, tell me what's wrong" she put her hands on his shoulder and looked into his eyes. "He doesn't remember me, Eva, he doesn't remember me" talking about it hurt more than he thought it would because now he was crying. "Oh, my sweetie, come here" she led him to the sofa where they sat down and she put her arms around him. "He... he remembers all of you. Everyone he met who worked on the hobbit, but... but... he didn't even recognize me a little when he saw me... a... and it's just... it just hurts so much". Evangeline tightened her hold on Lee, "I know, I know it hurts" she rocked him back and forth a little while. "Do you want to talk about it?" She asked him once his crying had died down a little bit. "Not now" "okay, honey" she answered, rubbing his back. "Shall I make something for you? Do you want coffee or tea or hot chocolate or...?" "I could drink some tea" Lee replied. "Okay. Then I'll make some tea for you" she said as she stood up and went to make the tea.   
A few minutes later she brought him the tea, "there you go" "thank you". They sat in silence as Lee drank his tea, it was Richard's favourite tea, Lee did not like the taste of it so much but the smell was comforting.   
"I actually, really just wanna go to bed now, if you don't mind" he said after he had finished his cup "not at all. Will you be alright, though?" She asked concerningly and Lee nodded. "Okay, then" she stood up.  
"Well, it was good to see you. Now are you sure that you will be alright?" She asked him when they stood in the doorway. "Yeah, I'll manage" "okay" Eva hugged him once before saying goodbye, turning and walking towards her car. "Oh, hey Lee?" "Hmm?" "I just wanted to tell you, that everything is going to be alright". Lee smiled "thank you" he said before Eva got in her car and drove off, then Lee closed the door and went to bed. After lying there for a while he was accompanied by Carl who lay down beside him. "Do you think she's right, Carl, do you think everything is going to be alright?" Carl gave a little sound from his throat that could be considered a 'yes' in dog language. "I think so too" Lee said before closing his eyes and falling asleep.  
"RICHARD!" A few nights later Lee woke up from a nightmare, calling out his husband's name, only to find that the other side of the bed was empty and cold.   
He lay down again, trying to get some sleep, but couldn't. After lying there about an hour he got up and out of his house and into the car.  
Lee met Richard every day, he had visited him every day since the other man had woken up, talking to him all day long, but sometimes he just wanted Richard's arms around him while he slept. Lee was usually not a needy husband, he could survive days without being with his lover but for some reason the nights were always harder. He didn't know what it was but he felt safe, not that he felt like he was in danger when not with Richard, it just felt safer.  
Lee walked into the room where Richard was sleeping, his chest rising and falling slowly. Lee took the chair that stood there beside him and moved it closer to the bed and sat down.  
Richard always looked so peaceful when he slept, so beautiful. His eyelashes almost touching the cheeks, his lips slightly parted. Lee remembered that when Richard's face lay on the side while slept, he sometimes drooled. Lee smiled as he remembered.  
He almost stroked Richard's cheek but stopped his hand right before he touched, he didn't wanna wake the other man. Instead he kicked of his shoes, put his feet on the edge of the bed, took one long lasting look at Richard before closing his eyes and falling into a dreamless sleep.  
~  
When Richard woke up that morning he was surprised to find Lee asleep in the chair next to his bed.  
When had he arrived?   
He looked very fast asleep, peaceful, beautiful.   
Since Richard had woken up, as in when he first found himself at the hospital, he had begun to have certain feelings for Lee. Not love but something. He liked the other man, liked as in fancied but only a little bit.   
Soon Lee stirred and opened his eyes. "Hey" he said sleepily as he moved his feet from the bed and down to the floor. "Sorry, I came here when you were still asleep and I didn't wanna wake you up" he said with a little yawn at the end. "Good morning" Richard greeted with a smile "good morning" Lee smiled back. There was silence for a little while until Richard broke it with a question: "so, when did you come and why did you come so early?" "Well, I'm not sure what time it was when I came, it was still dark, that's all I know. Uhhh, why did I come? Well uhm I just wanted to uhm... okay I'm just gonna tell you, it sounds probably stupid, but... okay, I had a nightmare and wanted to be with you" the last words came out in a rush. "You had a nightmare and wanted to be with me?" Richard asked, slightly confused. "Well, okay, I'm not the best with words" Lee admitted. "I had a nightmare that freaked me out a little and... usually when I have trouble sleeping you're there and that helps me sleep, very often. But now you are here and... basically I just wanted to be here". Lee was looking down, slightly embarrassed. "So, basically you came here because you felt more comfortable sleeping here close to me?" Richard summed it up "why couldn't I just say it like that?" Lee asked as he threw his hands up in the air. "Well, you said you're not good with words so, I guess that could be it". "Yeah. You have always been better with words than I have" Lee smiled and let his gaze travel towards the window.  
Then Richard noticed something, something he hadn't recognized before. There was a scar, hardly noticeable, on the side of Lee's nose. "How did you get that?" Lee turned his head towards Richard when he asked. "What?" "That scar on your nose, when did that happen?" Lee unknowingly touched the scar. "In a... in a a car accident" Richard was a little shocked by the news. "Whe... when did that happen?" "About two years ago. I was actually put in this very same hospital, only in another room" "how bad was it?" "Bad enough to freak you out, I was unconscious for almost two hours". "Bu.. but are you okay?" Richard asked, worried. But Lee laughed "Richard, it was two years ago. I'm fine, I survived with only this scar. Well, at first there were many scars but they all faded away, except this one". Richard was still shocked. Lee had been in a car accident? Where had he (Richard) been?   
Suddenly he felt Lee's hand on top of his own, his thumb stroking Richard knuckles "hey, Rich? I'm alright". He looked up to see Lee smiling reassuringly at him. When Lee was about to pull his hand away, Richard grabbed it and held it in his own. Lee smiled lovingly down at their hands, fingers twined together. He still wore his engagement- and wedding ring, but then again Richard did as well. He just couldn't make himself remove his wedding ring, even though he didn't love the other man like he used to, he hoped that one day it could happen, he would love Lee again like that man deserved to be loved.  
Another day went by and before they knew it it was dark outside and Lee had started to yawn quite a lot. "You should go home, you need sleep" "yeah, okay, maybe you're right" Lee said as he stood up. "Have the doctors told you when you can leave here, it's just that I'm... you know, curious?" Richard smiled. "In a few days, there needs to be done some more checkup on my back first" Lee nodded. "They're not checking your brain?" "They don't believe anything can be done" "okay, I guess they're right, probably". "I'm not giving up though" Richard said before Lee could say anything else "I will remember you". Before Lee left, he bent down and kissed Richard on the cheek, then he turned and walked towards the door. But then he stopped and looked over at Richard. "One thing is for sure, though. Either way you ever love me again or not" "what is that?" Lee half turned around again before answering.  
"My heart will always belong to you" and then he was gone.  
Richard, without knowing touched the place on his cheek where Lee had kissed him. He felt something, he still couldn't remember anything but that feeling was familiar.  
~  
Before Lee actually started the car he just sat there, wondering. Talking to Richard hadn't helped the other man remember, Lee had almost given up the hope that Richard would ever remember what they had had before. These things happened all the time to people. They forgot and never got their memories back, perhaps the same thing had happened to Richard.   
But the way he had sounded: "I'm not giving up, though. I will remember you" he had sounded so sure, but maybe it was just the fact that the man had the stubbornness of a dwarf, either way it kindled a little light of hope in Lee's heart as he had bent down and kissed the other man on the cheek. If words couldn't bring back even a flicker of memory back, then maybe some form of action could. Though it was highly doubtful, Lee allowed himself to hope, just a little bit.  
~  
About a week later Richard was out of the hospital and Lee was now driving him over to their house by the lake.   
Lee had not been sure whether to take him there or not but Richard had insisted, he wanted to see this place, especially after Lee had described how beautiful it looked.   
They drove in silence, except for the sound of Carl breathing in the backseat with his head out the window and his tongue out, licking the wind. Lee had explained that he had taken Carl along this time, since the dog just loved car rides. Richard was okay with that, Carl was a pretty cute dog.  
"Okay, here we are" Lee told him when he stopped the car in front of a small house. The other man had been right, this place was beautiful. There were trees all around and the lake was like a mirror.   
"So, this is our home. It is not much, I know, but it is home" Lee said after Richard had walked around the cottage. "I love it" he smiled "it's nice". "Good" Lee nodded, smiling as well. Richard walked outside on the porch, the wind blew in his face but it wasn't cold. The view across the lake from the porch was magnificent, it reflected the sky and the trees amazingly.   
He heard footsteps behind him and turned around to see Lee standing there. "It is incredibly beautiful here, is it not?" "Indeed it is, although I wonder why we haven't changed the porch here already, looks like that should have been done months ago" he said as he felt it creak beneath his feet. "Yeah we talked about it once, but then later we decided not to" "why?" Lee locked his forefinger with Richard's as he took one step back, dragging Richard along with him. "Right here, on this spot, is where we got engaged". "Well, that's pretty amazing" Richard thought out loud "it is" Lee agreed. "And look over here" he said as he dragged Richard forward, turned to the right and pointed. "You see there? The spot beside the trees where all that grass is?" "yeah" "that's where we got married" he said and put his hand down and looked over at Richard, smiling.  
Later that evening, Richard sat on the couch busy answering messages he had gotten from those who knew about the accident.   
After dinner he had told Lee he would do the dishes but Lee insisted on doing them, saying Richard should rest. Richard didn't need rest but he quickly found out that it was impossible to get Lee to change his mind so he just let the other man do the dishes.  
When Lee was done he sat down on a chair beside the window, looking out across the lake. "What?" He asked Richard when he noticed the way the other man was looking at him. "I just... I'm sorry but I got this feeling. I also got it when you kissed me on the cheek about a week ago. It feels like, the way you're sitting now and the way you kissed me, it feels like it has happened before".   
Lee opened his mouth as if he was about to say something, but then closed it again. "What?" Richard asked. "No, nothing, I just... nothing" "you were going to say something, what?" Lee looked up from the floor at him "I was just wondering, there is this other thing that I remembered that, I don't know but maybe it does help you remember but I don't know for sure" "what is it?" Richard asked, eager to know. "Well, there is this song, but I don't know..." "sing it" "wha...?" "I just want to know whether I recognize it even just a little" "okay" Lee cleared his throat before he began. 

"Are you breathing what I'm breathing? Are your wishes the same as mine?" 

Right then, it all hit Richard. All the memories of him and Lee together. When they first met.   
When he fell in love with the other man. When he told Lee that he loved him and when Lee told him. When they got this house. When they got engaged. When they got married. When Lee sang this song for him. When Richard sang it for Lee. When he got the call telling him that Lee lay unconscious in the hospital. When he saw his lover's face all bruised and red. When Lee kissed him on the cheek. Their first kiss.   
And the love. All the love he once held for Lee was now there again in his heart. His eyes were tearing up as he remembered everything.

"The consequences of falling, the consequences of falling" 

Lee finished and then looked back over at his husband. "Richard?" He asked hopeful as he saw the tears in the other man's eyes and the smile spreading across his face. "Lee" Richard simply answered, but that seemed to be enough for Lee to hear, because he leaped up and ran over to the couch and kissed Richard who passionately kissed back, holding Lee close in his arms. When they drew away from the kiss they were both crying. "Oh my god, Lee, I'm so sorry. How could I ever have forgotten all this, my love, my sweet angel" he said as he laid his forehead against Lee's, smiling more than he thought was possible, before he kissed the other man again. His hands traveling up and down the other man's back, remembering every inch of it.   
Lee raised one hand up and put on the behind of Richard's neck as he kissed his husband back.  
There they half lay on the couch, their lips locked together, unable to let go. When they parted their lips to get air Richard simply looked at Lee. The other man still had tears running down his cheeks and Richard removed them with his thumbs. "I love you, Richard. You know that? I love you so much and I always will" Lee smiled at his lover who smiled his widest smile back. "I do know that. And guess what" "what?"  
"No person here on this earth is luckier than I am, to have you as a husband" he said before leaning in, then suddenly halted "oh and one more thing.   
My heart will always belong to you, too" he said before he gave his beautiful husband another long lasting kiss.  
~

**Author's Note:**

> To everyone who has read this series, thank you so much for your time, I really do hope that you liked it :D


End file.
